floral

floral — adjective

1. made from natural flowers, or having images or patterns of flowers printed, wove

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

made from natural flowers, or having images or patterns of flowers printed, woven, or painted onto the surface of something.

Example

The bride carried a floral bouquet of white roses and lavender.

collocation: floral bouquet

Lien chose a floral wallpaper with small pink blossoms for her bedroom.

collocation: floral wallpaper

Common collocations
  • floral bouquet
  • floral arrangement
  • floral pattern
  • floral design
  • floral dress
  • floral wallpaper
  • floral print
  • floral shirt
  • floral scent
Synonyms
  • flowery

    more informal than 'floral'; can also mean overly decorated or ornate

  • flower-patterned

    refers specifically to decorative patterns rather than real flowers

  • botanical

    broader in meaning, relating to plants in general; less common in fashion contexts

Grammar Patterns

floral + noun

be + floral

floral — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe a connection to flowers, but they differ in scope and register. 'Floral' is the neutral, all-purpose term — it can describe anything from a real bouquet to a printed dress. 'Flowery' is more informal and carries a slight subjective flavour: a flowery shirt might be considered busy or overly decorated, and 'flowery language' is a common metaphorical use. 'Flower-patterned' is strictly literal — you would only use it for printed or woven designs, never for real flowers. 'Botanical' has a scientific or natural-history feel and is much broader, covering all plant life, not just flowers. For example, you would say 'a floral centrepiece' (real flowers), 'a flower-patterned tablecloth' (printed), and 'a botanical garden' (all plants).

flowery ↗flower-patternedbotanical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • floral display
  • floral motif
  • floral theme
  • floral decoration

Prepositions

  • in floral
  • with floral

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'floral' entered English in the mid-1700s from French 'floral', which came from Latin 'floralis' meaning 'of flowers'. The Latin root 'flōs' (flower) is also the source of 'flourish', 'flower', 'flora', and 'Florida' (meaning 'flowery'). The noun senses for perfume and pattern developed later, in the 1800s, as the word expanded from botany into fashion and perfumery.